My husband recently celebrated a birthday (don’t ask; let’s just say the Fire Department could have been called). The card that I made him I have shown you previously, the black and white hot air balloons card.

Let’s show the Adirondack chair some love today!

Have I ever mentioned that my husband and I are both originally from upstate New York? Not the White Plains upstate, but the real one, Albany and further north. His mother’s family is from a tiny town named North Creek, and it is located, obviously, in the Adirondacks. You see where I’m going, right? Yup, the origin of the Adirondack chair. Knowledge is power, my friends!

So my sister-in-law, who also happens to be my downline, sent him the card below for his birthday. Totes adorbs, am I right? I love the way she distributed the elements around the card, and of course, the fancy fold makes it that much more special. Cute, right? Makes me long for the beach!

Isn’t it amazing how just folding a piece of paper in a different way can totally change not only the way a card looks but the impact that it makes? So thank you, Linda, we all loved your card!

That adorable little Adirondack chair is from the Colorful Seasons Bundle; it’s part of the Seasonal Layers Thinlit Dies. The coordinating stamp set is called Colorful Seasons, and you can see all the pieces parts in the new Annual Catalog, pages 146-147.

I really can’t say enough about the Eastern Palace Suite. And I know I have talked about it before, but I just can’t get over my excitement about it. It really is amazing. And I showed you a scrapbook layout I did with it previously, but I will share part of it with you again:

The color combos in the Designer Series Paper Pack are so versatile. You will have to get your hands on the Gold Vinyl Stickers to understand just how beautiful they are – and being vinyl, they are very easy to use because they aren’t flimsy like a regular sticker. And yes, I admit it, I do have an unnatural fondness for polka-dots. So there. 🙂

And if you’re a card maker, then you will certainly appreciate how the thinlit dies you get look so amazing on a card. And every little detail has been thought of, so the stamps that match the thinlits give you endless different ways to stamp around the medallions. Here are the three cards I made using a template from Stampin’ Up! (which you get for free as a demonstrator):

I don’t know which one is my favorite, because they’re all so pretty! And p.s., I was in Target just the other day and I can tell you for sure that tassels are really in this year. They were on everything from shirts to shoes to purses!

This suite of products is my second favorite suite in the new Annual Catalog. My very favorite and number one product suite that I can wait to get my hands on is the Birthday Delivery Suite, on page 69 in the catalog. And I just ordered it today, the first day that we, as demonstrators, can order from the full catalog – and yes, we do get a discount, thank goodness. And no, I have no idea where I’m going to put all the things that will be coming. But they’re just so pretty, and I like to have pretty things around me.

the new catalog for 2017-2018 has arrived!

And to celebrate the occasion I am sharing with you today a new card, with new colors, and a new, FREE tutorial!

OMG, I am over the moon for the newest In Colors, and in the card above I have used three of them: Berry Burst, Lemon Lime Twist, and Powder Pink. Wow. What a palette! I also used one of the new photopolymer stamp sets, Happy Birthday Gorgeous.

And I promised you a free tutorial, so just click HERE to get a download (PDF) to make the Happy Birthday Gorgeous card (above). If you don’t have a PDF reader you can get one for free from the internet – just look for Adobe Reader – and it’s free, BTW.

The other two new In Colors I haven’t shown you yet are Fresh Fig and Tranquil Tide, and you can check them out in this little pretty:

You know I wouldn’t lie to you. SPECTACULAR, am I right? There is so much to love in this catalog – I mean that! I think it’s my favorite catalog so far.

NOTE: The products listed above without prices are temporarily on back order, but should be available soon.

Keep in mind that the new catalog won’t go live online until Noon Mountain Time on June 1st, which will be 3 PM here on the East Coast (due to Daylight Saving Time). You can go window shopping and check out all that’s new – there’s no charge for that! 😉

Today is the last day that you can purchase items from the Occasions 2017 catalog. Tomorrow is the big day – a brand new Annual Catalog and Idea Book!

Here’s a Perfect Mix:

Highest quality crafting products and sale prices! Am I right? It’s your last chance for the Perfect Mix stamp set (the Clear Mount version is on sale), the Playful Palette paper, and the matching Washi tape, which are also now available at reduced prices! Yay!

The card I made today uses all three of those products:

I just love it when products coordinate, don’t you? It can really make the creative process flow a lot smoother. And I love this stamp set cause it has all kinds of kitchen appliances and utensils in it, making it the perfect mix (ahem!) for everyday-type cards as well as holiday cards, right? Christmas, baking, it all works!

I used Very Vanilla for my base, then added a piece of Basic Black on top of that.

I cut two pieces of the Designer Paper stack in half on the diagonal to use on top of the Basic Black. (You will need two to get the correct angles going on the card).

I added the Washi tape on the diagonal in between the pieces of paper, and then just tucked the edges under the piece of Basic Black.

I then adhered the decorated piece of Basic Black to the card front.

I stamped the mixer image on one of the scraps of Designer Paper and then fussy cut it out.

Using the Stitched Framelits – Circles, I cut two circles of differing sizes, one in Very Vanilla and one in Blushing Bride.

I stamped the sentiment onto the Very Vanilla circle and then adhered it, off center, onto the Blushing Bride circle, using Stampin’ Dimensionals.

The mixer is adhered to the circle with Stampin’ Dimensionals as well, but I wrapped a little bit of Whisper White Thick Baker’s Twine around it first.

Throw on some Enamel Shapes and you’re done!

Now go forth, SHOP for some great products at great prices, and do something creative today!

Would You Like to Ride in my Beautiful Balloon?

Anybody out there remember the Fifth Dimension? The singing group, not the real 5th dimension. I loved that song, Up, Up, and Away – as well as their other hit, Wedding Bell Blues. And their version of Aquarius, from the musical Hair.

(Little known fact: the lead female vocalist, Marilyn McCoo, and Robert Wagner (DiNozzo’s dad on NCIS) shared the first ever television interracial kiss on the show It Takes a Thief).

I have never been in a hot air balloon, beautiful or otherwise, and I’m not likely to ever do so in my lifetime. Paralyzing fear of heights and all that. But I love the look of a beautiful balloon, which is why I decided to use a beautiful balloon on my hubby’s birthday card.

I went with a black and white theme, cause he tends to like things that are more Clean and Simple in their design. Not to mention that that makes my design life a little easier, haha!

Here’s the trick to lining up the stamped images and the cutouts –

Cut two pieces of card stock that are identical in size. (I used Whisper White above).

I did use a MISTI for the stamping, in full disclosure. You gotta get one of these! I decided where I wanted the stamps to be and lined them up on the MISTI, and stamped in Basic Black on one of the Whisper White pieces.

I then took out the stamped paper and put in, in the exact same place, the other piece of card stock that was identical in size to the first.

I did NOT move the stamps around, just re-inked them and stamped exactly as I did on the previous piece.

I then took the coordinating framelits and cut out the two balloon images on one of the stamped pieces of card stock. (I kept the cutout pieces and used them on the inside of the card).

Next I took the piece with the cutouts and stamped a couple of clouds and then colored them in with Wink of Stella.

I adhered the cutout piece directly on top of the stamped piece of card stock with Stampin’ Dimensionals, lining up the two pieces of card stock. Done!

I finished with stamping my sentiment on a separate piece of card stock, taping a piece of copy paper over the area above where I wanted the sentiment so I could have just the phrase hope your day is on cloud nine without the Happy Birthday phrase on top.

I then did the same on the inside of the card: I taped a piece of copy paper below where I wanted the Happy Birthday so I could avoid the lower half of the sentiment and just have the birthday part.

I didn’t forget, I just didn’t want to post this before I gave it to the intended recipient. So, for all you mothers out there (and you know who you are) –

Happy Mother’s Day 2017 (belated)

I had a great time with all my kids at my daughter’s house in Baltimore, played with the grandson, and generally just got to relax and enjoy the people I love most in this world – and the people who are extremely fun to hang out with any time. (Okay, an aside here – why does WordPress not recognize the word extremely? Maybe cause I had it in italics? [shakes head] So I did the old “add to dictionary” thing).

Here is the card I put together for my daughter. I completely CASEd it from Pinterest – so the design is not mine, but I just thought it was totes adorbs!

There is a little mix of new, retired, and still available in this design.

Blushing Bride Cardstock, still available and in the new Annual Catalog

Blushing Bride Solid Baker’s Twine, retired and no longer available

Delicate White Doilies, still available and in the new Annual Catalog

Oh So Succulent Stamp Set and Dies Bundle, retired but still available until May 31 (also available separately)

Glitter Enamel Dots – brand new and coming June 1

Swirly Scribbles Thinlits Dies, still available and in the new Annual Catalog

Blushing Bride and Flirty Flamingo ink pads, still available and in the new Annual Catalog

Mint Macaron ink pad, retired but still available through May 31

Garden Green ink pad, still available and in the new Annual Catalog

Very Vanilla Cardstock, still available and in the new Annual Catalog

Falling Petals embossing folder, retired and no longer available

Now, I didn’t mention all those retired and unavailable items to depress you. Really. But I want you to know that if you DO have those products, and you’re a hoarder like me, keep creating with them. Their beauty is not diminished by their lack of availability. Don’t let those older stamp sets just lie around – use them!

There will always be something new coming around, you know that. So use what you have and enjoy what you own. And I will update this card with new products (once I get my own hands on them) so you can still use the design, no matter what.

Do Something Creative Every Day

Creative is an adjective that makes me insecure, because I don’t really think I’m creative at all. I mean, what does it mean if you fail an online creativity quiz on one site and then you ace it on another? Yes, I know what you’re going to say, that ANY quiz on the Internet is bound to be a bit of a farce.

Every time I make something I look at it with a critical eye and think, it doesn’t seem very creative. Or very exciting. I think the biggest fear to overcome is that whatever you create is inferior to anything else out there. I wonder if that is a female trait only. I’m not sure men are that lacking in confidence.

So here are some things I try to remember:

it’s not a competition

what may seem creative to you may actually be not so creative to someone else, and vice-versa

Please yourself; if it makes you happy then that’s all that matters

We all come at our creative process from different vantage points; there is no right or wrong way to get there

it’s the journey, not the destination

So with that in mind, I share with you today one of my creations:

I mean, who doesn’t love a little bling? And these adorable dragonflies are from a stamp set that is carrying over to the new catalog, which arrives June 1st. Cannot wait!

Check out these products in my online store – (unfortunately, the Falling in Love Designer Series Paper is already gone).

Welcome to the Families First Pals Blog Hop for April 2017. We are thankful you stopped by to take a look at our 2017 Blog Hop monthly themes. This month we are featuring projects that are all about our families. This is a great time of year to think about what to make for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or upcoming graduations. And, family vacations are just around the corner… how would you want to remember those special family moments? We hope to provide you with lots of ideas and that you enjoy our creations.

You may just be starting the Blog Hop or you may have come from Debbie Mageed at Secret Stamper, number 4 on the Pals Blog Hop listing shown below. The full lineup will help you move along from blog to blog so you can see all the projects.

Family is not an important thing. It’s everything. ~ Michael J. Fox

Which is such a beautiful sentiment. And I really do love my family. But sometimes,

my family is just one tent away from a full-blown circus.

I know you feel me on that one! But today I want to focus on the newest part of my family, and here he is:

Isn’t he just too cute? That’s my grandson. Or are you amazed at the products I used to make my layout? You are seeing one of the new In Colors from the next Annual Catalog, Lemon Lime Twist. And that’s the Eastern Palace Suite of paper and embellishments that you’re drooling over. I am over the moon about the gold vinyl stickers that you can get to complement your designs. Makes you really long for June 1st, doesn’t it? (But keep reading, there’s a surprise in store).

Dinos rule!

I hope you noticed the design on my grandson’s little pants … yup, the Jurassic Crafter made darn sure that the little one had something with a dinosaur on it. Duh! We were out in the backyard at my daughter’s house blowing bubbles. I have wanted to do a layout for a while now and when I saw the new colors I knew just what I wanted to do.

I only ran into two problems:

As I sat crafting I kept wishing that the blue color in this color combo had already been released so I could use it in my layout. It wasn’t until I had finished it and photographed it that I realized (with a smack to my head), that’s DAPPER DENIM, you big dummy. Oy! (For the uninitiated, Dapper Denim is one of the 2016-2018 In Colors that we already have).

Have you ever tried to find just the clear sequins in a tiny container that also contains white, gold, and black sequins? No? Well, I highly recommend it as a treatment for insomnia. But not for insanity. Just sayin’.

Before I let you go, I want you to know that Stampin’ Up! is releasing this beautiful Eastern suite early, so you will be able to order it for yourself beginning next month. Yay!

Thanks for visiting!

To continue with the hop, please click here to go visit my friend Nicole Watt, or refer to the Blog Hop Line-up below. We hope to see you on next month’s Pals Blog Hop!Until then, stay crafty, my friends!

Welcome to the Pals Blog Hop for March 2017. We are thankful you stopped by to take a look at our 2017 Blog Hop monthly themes. This month we are featuring Spring or Spring-related projects. We hope you enjoy our creations.

You may be just starting the Blog Hop with me or maybe you’ve just come from Debbie Crowley. The full lineup is shown below and it will help you move along from blog to blog so you can see all the projects.

Sometimes when a new catalog comes out (I’m talking to you, Occasions 2017) or a new sale comes along (don’t think I didn’t notice you either, Sale-a-Bration) we forget that we have a year-long companion, the Annual Catalog. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love a new catty (#boughtthewholething) and who doesn’t love free (#gotduplicatesofeverySABfreebie), but once in a while it’s good to go back to the future.

Spring has sprung

Well, at least, I’m going to pretend that it has. And for my project I went through the AC (that’s Annual Catalog, for the uninitiated) and rediscovered Circle of Spring:

My inspiration for this little beauty comes from a design by a fellow demo in the Netherlands, Ingrid Oudijk. Just thought it was too cute! Her projects are awesome but I have no idea what she is talking about on her page, though. I do not speak Dutch. Not a word. But hey, I can still look at the pictures. And a picture, as you know, can speak a thousand words. (But still, in Dutch).

Okay, Peeps, move along now. Time flies like an arrow and fruit flies like a banana. Enjoy the rest of the Hop and the rest of your day.

~ Amy, the Jurassic Crafter

Thanks for visiting. To continue with the hop, please click here to visit with Marilyn or you can refer to the Blog Hop Line-up below. We hope to see you on next month’s Pals Blog Hop!

Welcome to the Pals Blog Hop for February 2017. We are thankful you stopped by to take a look at our 2017 Blog Hop monthly themes. This month we are CASE’ing a project shown in a current Stampin’ Up! catalog. After all, with the Annual, Occasions and Sale-a-Bration catalogs available right now, there is much inspiration from which to choose. We hope you enjoy our creations.

You may just be starting the Blog Hop or may have come from the previous link from the Line-up on the Pals Blog Hop listing shown below. The full lineup will help you move along from blog to blog so you may see all the projects.

What on earth is CASE?

I’m so glad you asked! While there are many interpretations of CASE, the one I live by is Copy And Share Everything. For today’s project I decided to CASE a card I found in the Sale-a-Bration catalog. Sale a who? Well, once a year Stampin’ Up! spoils us all by giving us FREE product for every $50 we spend. Oh, and it’s cumulative, meaning that if you spend $100, you get two free items. This most happy time of year is called Sale-a-Bration. The products you chose from are in a special catalog that is only available from January 4 through March 31. Guess what, Stampin’ Up! is adding three more fabulous items for you to choose from on February 21! Yay!

I really love this FREE stamp set called Avant Garden. It is so delicate and so versatile. I used Peekaboo Peach for the flowers, stamping once with regular inking and then by stamping off a couple of times. LOVE Peekaboo Peach! You can find this and many other amazing products by shopping at my online store.Click HERE to go check it out.

No witty repartee this time, my friends. I’m under the effects of a head cold and my brain is like cotton. Umm, maybe more like polyester and spandex that got washed and dried too many times. Until next time – stay crafty, my friends!

Thanks for visiting. To continue with the hop, please click HERE to go to see what Susan Itell is up to or refer to the Blog Hop Line-up below. We hope to see you on next month’s Pals Blog Hop!

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The content in this blog is the sole responsibility of Amy Hoptay as an Independent Stampin’ Up! Demonstrator and the use of and content of classes, services or products offered is not endorsed by Stampin’ Up!